I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of food storage and holding devices, and more particularly to a vacuum producing appliance that cooperates with an assortment of food and beverage holding devices.
Food and beverage storing and holding vessels have traditionally been constructed of materials such as metal, glass or plastic. Traditionally, these vessels are of a single wall construction. Within the last one hundred years, vacuum packing has been employed to help keep foods fresh longer. The lack of air in the food container helps prevent bacteria from growing on the food.
Foods and beverages have been stored in vessels for thousands of years. Often the vessels had lids that fit tightly and helped keep the contents from spoiling or becoming contaminated by dirt or the like.
II. Description of Related Art
Unfortunately, when a vacuum packed food storing vessel is opened, the vacuum is lost thereby allowing bacteria in the trapped air within the vessel to grow more rapidly and hastening the unsuitability of the food for human consumption. Additionally, foods or beverages that are heated or cooled and then stored or held in single walled containers, loose their heat or cold quality rather quickly because the vessel usually does not have good insulating qualities. Double walled carafes or the like have been constructed, primarily out of glass or metal, where the space between the walls is evacuated thereby creating a good insulator, however these types of containers tend to be restricted in shape and size due to manufacturing restrictions.
An object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that can quickly create a vacuum within the walls of a food storing vessel such as ajar, bottle or can so that the food stored therein is preserved for a longer period than if there were no vacuum involved.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that can quickly create a vacuum within the walls of a plurality of unique double walled vessels such as a serving tray or a drinking tumbler thereby producing an insulating effect that helps said double walled vessel keep the food or beverage contained therein hot or cold for a longer period than if there were no vacuum involved. Even though the vacuum may be considered temporary, lasting approximately eight hours, it can be easily recharged by the vacuum producing appliance of the present invention.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that can be affixed to the wall of a kitchen or the like.
A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum producing appliance that is alternately capable of being placed on a counter top or the like.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a vacuum producing appliance and associated food and beverage holding vessel comprises a hollow housing, the housing enclosing a vacuum pump, a pressure switch, a vacuum holding tank, a solenoid valve, a power switch, and associated tubing to attach the components to each other, the vacuum pump turned on by the power switch and turned off by the pressure switch when the vacuum holding tank has reached the proper vacuum level, the pressure switch activating the solenoid valve thereby sealing in the vacuum in the vacuum holding tank, an electrical line cord and plug that supplies power to the vacuum pump, a conical shaped concavity built into the bottom of the housing capable of drawing air from a vessel and passing it through the vacuum, a plurality of vessel sealing lids, the lids having a convex conical shaped at their top surface that can interface in an air tight way with a mating concave conical shape located in the main housing, the lids having a check valve that allows air to leave the lid but not to reenter it, the lids having a vacuum relief valve located on their top surface that can be operated by the user to relieve the vacuum within a vessel located below the lid, the lids having a rigid conical portion built into its lower surface, the lower conical portion having a soft rubber covering 202 around its circumference, the rubber portion capable of interfacing in an air tight way with the mouth of a jar, bottle, can or the like so that a vacuum can be drawn in said jar, bottle or can, the lids having a variety of diameters of said lower conical portion to allow the conical portion to fit a variety of diameters of food or beverage holding vessels such as a small diameter for a wine bottle, or a large diameter for a larger Ball jar, and a plurality of unique food or beverage holding vessels such as a serving tray, a tumbler, a soup bowl, an ice cream bowl or the like, each vessel being of double walled construction and each vessel being fitted with the convex conical interface and the check valve so that the vacuum producing appliance can interface with the food or beverage containing vessels and cause a vacuum to be created within the inner and outer walls, the vacuum acting as an insulating means for the food containing vessel.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.